Ukrainian Vogue wrote about the release of the updated edition of 'City is me' – an important book on urbanism. The reissue of the art book 'City is me' was released by the 'Knigolav' publishing house – an incredibly relevant book addressing inclusivity, accessibility, and the functioning of modern cities. It was listed among the best Ukrainian books according to PEN and won the award for the best illustrations at the Bologna Book Fair in 2022 (illustrated by Anna Ivanenko). Let's talk about why this is an important book.
'War has reinforced the main message of the book – our cities' fate depends solely on us, as we choose whether to improve or harm them,' says Iryna Ozymok. 'The war has shown how important greenery and ecology are. It's an invisible risk, and I want to demonstrate the true values for the community. Interestingly, the post-war section is not about fear and danger, but about goodness: even in the most challenging times, we can choose which side we want to be on. So, there are volunteers, friendships in the metro, support for displaced people, symbols of resilience – the rooster of Borodyanka and the value of Ukrainian Mariupol. Additionally, I discuss role models that children could look up to, including Roman Ratushny, who defended Ukraine on the front lines, and Protasiv Yar against unscrupulous individuals.'